


Gimme Gimme (a dad after midnight)

by Daisyflo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Because it's Ben, Ben and Rey are engaged, Ben is Sophie, F/M, He lives on an greek island but is still pale af, Leia used to wear glittery jumpsuits, M/M, Mamma Mia AU, Pregnancy, Reylo - Freeform, Unplanned Pregnancy, but they're still idiots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-04 08:03:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15837147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisyflo/pseuds/Daisyflo
Summary: As he’s about to marry the woman he loves, Ben decides it’s time for him to meet his father. Thanks to his mother’s diary, he finds the identities of three potential options and secretly invites them to the small island he lives on with his mother.Needless to say, it doesn’t go as planned.





	1. I have a dream

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, welcome to a fanfic I wasn't supposed to write but ended up writing anyway because of (thanks to) the amazing girls of The Writing Den! Thank you very much to SaturnineFeline who kindly agreed to beta this work ❤

****

 

**_1979_ **

The jingling of a buckle meeting the pavement echoed in the empty streets, breaking the religious silence preceding the customary hurly-burly. With every step she took, the young woman sent a cloud of raindrops flying around her hasty legs, the bright colors of her high-heeled boots reflecting into every puddle along with the neon lights of the theatre she'd just left. Before she could turn on the main avenue, two silhouettes wrapped up in the same electric blue jumpsuits emerged from the glass doors, their golden boots slamming on the ground as they ran after her, both weighted down with heavy, overstuffed bags that threatened to spill a riot of yellow feathers into the street.

“Leia! Wait for us!”

A few meters ahead of them, the young woman turned her head, revealing a milky complexion stained by mascara and tears.

“He said he would come.” She sniffled as she wiped her wet nose and cheeks with the back of her sleeve.

The tallest of her friends let out a sigh as she approached, a hand covered in rings reaching out to cup Leia's chin as the second one joined them with a sad smile, head tilted with empathy.

“He’s been saying it for years, sweetie…”

Before the last word had left the woman’s lips, another sob escaped Leia as she fell into her friends’ open arms. Oblivious of their stage costumes falling on the wet ground, they held each other in a tight embrace in which she muffled her tears.

Amilyn was right: despite his long letters filled with promises, Luke kept finding excuse after excuse. Canceled flight, work obligation… Last month, he’d even told her his taxi had accidentally left him at the wrong airport.

“What is it, this time?” Jyn askes with a soothing voice as she rubbed a hand on her bare back.

Smiling through her tears with irony, Leia shrugged. Not only had Luke found a way to miss their show again, but this time, he hadn’t even bothered to tell her why.

“Sorry honey, but he really is being a jerk.” Amilyn stated with a frown, ignoring Jyn’s nudge.

A soft chuckle resonated against the walls the three friends had created with their bare arms and hair, ignoring the shivers caused by a cold wind. Even though she knew her friends were right, calling Luke a jerk wasn’t as easy for her.

It wasn’t as if she’d never been loved; her parents, as most adoptive parents, had loved her with all their hearts and more. She’d lived a happy childhood, had many friends and had even managed to be one of the best students of her school while maintaining a considerable level of popularity beyond her peers. Loneliness had never been a problem in Leia’s life but still, her heart had missed a few beats when she’d received a letter from a certain Luke on her eighteenth birthday three years ago, presenting himself as her twin brother with the wish to know more about her.

Once they’d gotten past the awkwardness that came with getting to know someone you shared most of your DNA with but know nothing about, their letters became longer and more intimate, sharing details they’d never told anyone and promising to meet as soon as they’d both reach their majority. But apart from a brief phone call, Leia never got to meet the brother she’d grown attached to, becoming more and more disappointed every time he cancelled their plan.

“I’m done with him,” she whispered through her friends’ shoulders as her brows creased under the pain that the words sent to her chest.

“You hardly knew him, anyway.” Even if she’d wanted her words to sound soothing, Amilyn only managed to drew an ironic smile out of her friend; having selfishly kept their epistolary confidences secret, she’d never revealed how much she’d ended up counting on her newfound brother’s presence in her life.

“And we were amazing tonight,” Jyn added with a cheerful voice as they all parted, Leia wiping tears from her face with a soft chuckle as Amilyn wiped her shoulder.

Once again, her friends were right; they had indeed been great, as the night before and the night before that. Allowing a small smile to curl the corner of her lips, Leia nodded as she took one of the bags they’d flippantly abandoned on the pavement.

Moving to the capital had surprisingly been the best decision they’d taken so far; freshly graduated from the Oxford University with degrees in architecture, literature, and art history respectively,, Amilyn, Jyn and Leia had all agreed to take a year off and give fame a try, pursuing their childhood dream of funding a band and singing every night in the biggest theatres in town. Of course, as every childhood dreams, they’d quickly realized it needed to be adjusted: an unknown band consisting of three girls coming out of nowhere could only afford open stage nights and a two room flat if they still wanted their hunger to be satisfied without any financial support.

“Come on, let’s go home,” Jyn intimated as she hooked her arm with hers and took an encouraging step towards their bikes.

The whole ride seemed longer than the usual ten minutes: with her friends focused on the road and leading the way, Leia sunk back into her reflections. Oblivious of the rain flattening her hair against her forehead, she let her thoughts wander to places they’d never been before; dreams she’d never allowed herself to consider as potential experiences.

The sadness vanished with the night but, as the days went by, her thoughts kept wandering anywhere but where her feet were. It started with wandering eyes every time she crossed path with the numerous travel advertisings spread across the city, promising every citizen locking eyes with their unrealistic model a perfect tan and life-changing summer for a modest amount of money she could only see as a quarter of what was left of her economies. But still, London’s streets started to look rather grey compared to the exotic locales she now saw every day. In the space of a week, Leia found herself spending more time than usual at the local library, getting lost in the Travel section for hours.

It was exactly 11:38am when she found what she’d unknowingly been looking for.

 

“Takodana,” Leia repeated with an anxious yet bright smile a few days later when her friends learned about her new project.

“Takoda-what?” Jyn asked again as both Amilyn and her put their books down on the coffee table next to the sofa, their attention now fully focused on their friend dripping on the carpet between the TV and them.

“And where exactly is that?” Amilyn asked just before pursing her lips and crossing her arms on her chest.

Ignoring her friends’ skeptical expressions, Leia tossed her bag between them and sat on the now wet floor as she proceeded to unfold a map she’d just bought to the nearest grocer.

“Here,” she announced proudly while pressing a rumpled finger on the paper.

The small pink point was almost made invisible under her nail; drown by the blue of the ocean and surrounded by other bigger points, even her found it hard to believe such a small place could contain the marvelous landscapes she’d came across during her morning readings.

“They say many artists went there to find inspiration back in the day. It looks absolutely stunning- here, have a look.”

Without waiting for their approval, the young woman plunged a hand into the depths of her jacket’s pockets from which she grabbed a few pictures that looked like they’d been ripped out of a book –which they had been. Breathless and excited, she displayed the pictures of sunny landscapes on the sofa and looked up, waiting for their reaction.

“I don’t get it,” Jyn cautiously started after a moment of silence. “You’re the most reasonable person I’ve ever met.”

“Exactly,” Leia affirmed with a firm nod.

“I think what Jyn means is, a Greek island in the middle of nowhere sounds like a pretty big change for someone who’s never left the country.”

Such a harsh yet true remark would usually have convinced her that this was nothing more than a temporary hobby that would go with time. But this time, Amilyn’s words failed to mollify her; they even achieved to reinforce her conviction.

“This is exactly what I need,” she realized in a whisper.

Not letting go of her smile, Leia got back on her feet and shrugged as she walked to the open window. Placing her hands on the wet guardrail, she stuck her head out of the window and closed her eyes as she felt the fresh air caress her cheeks.

“Life is short, the world is wide. I want to make some memories.”

Now staring at the horizon, she didn’t notice Jyn and Amilyn’s shared shrug as they joined her to try and follow her gaze. Beyond the endless buildings landscape of London she’d grown accustomed to, past the endless fields of the country, a small island far from what she’d known her whole life long was waiting for her.

July had just ended, and she was only getting started.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**_2008_ **

****

_Dear Diary,_

_I already feel stupid calling you “dear”, you’re just a random notebook I just bought in the airport’s duty free shop. I’ve never had a diary before, am I actually supposed to call you something and talk to you? Anyway it’s not like anyone but me is reading this._

_I think I just took the most crazy and exciting decision of my life: I’m on a plane that’s just about to take off. Jyn and Amilyn drove me to the airport this morning and even if I saw how afraid they were for me, I know they’ll be proud when I come back from my impromptu holiday. I’m spending a month in Greece on a small island that looks perfect for the kind of retreat I’m looking for. I just have one last thing to do in Paris before I leave- but the girls don’t need to know about it._

With a soft chuckle, Ben closed the diary he’d read numerous times during the last few days, a small smile making its way to the corner of his lips as he stared at the rather simple cover. His mother was right; it sure looked like nothing more than a random notebook. Considering the small object in his hands, he let his fingers trail down the old staples threatening to yield under the generous amount of pages they were holding together. Had it not been such a casual object, he wouldn’t have opened it- and had it been about any other one of her summers, he probably would’ve stopped reading it immediately. But who could resist the temptation to know more about the most secret part of your mother's life, especially when this secret period of time involved your birth?

 _The Leia from thirty years years ago had sure had no idea what her summer was about to be like_ , he thought as he tucked the diary back into the shoulder bag he’d taken with him. With as much caution as he was capable of, Ben traded the small notebook for three envelopes that had been patiently waiting in the back pocket since the day before. A sigh escaped him as he stared at the three names for the umpteenth time. The blue ink he'd used had already faltered, damaged by the many comings and goings from his bag to his hands every time he approached a letter box.

Sending the invitations had been the easiest part of organizing his upcoming wedding. Despite his wish for it to be the simplest ceremony possible, his mother hadn’t resisted the temptation of turning the whole island upside down: around a hundred guests were expected. She’d literally invited half the island and privatized the whole hotel she ran, claiming the main place of the village as the reception area. Even their neighbor, owner of a traditional restaurant, had agreed to help her prepare the tables and dinner for the big day.

Compared to all these preparations he hadn’t been allowed to do, posting a few letters didn’t seem like such a big deal –yet, Ben hadn’t found the courage to post these. Caressing the thick paper between his fingers, Ben felt a new wave of guilt invade his chest: from what he’d read, one of these men had broken his mother’s heart to the extent that she’d chose to completely change her life and stay on this island and, according to her own words, ‘find herself’. Little did she know she would actually find herself to be pregnant, with none of these boys there to help her.

Gritting his teeth, Ben put the letter addressed to ‘Han Solo’ behind the others, allowing his eyes to read the names of ‘Lando Calrissian’ and ‘Cassian Andor’. Because of three little careless summer romances, she’d left everything behind and devoted her whole life to him and only him, her first and only child, at the young age of twenty-one. _The exact same age as his fiancée._

It was the worst idea Ben had ever had: seeing them again after so many years would undoubtedly be a shock, but probably nothing compared to the realization that her son had read her diary. It was a selfish, unreasonable idea that would only revive old forgotten conflicts both mother and son had buried years ago, days and nights of questionings and frustrations. Yet, something in him needed to know the truth. Having spent his entire childhood waiting for a father that never came back, it only seemed necessary to Ben to enter this new page of his life without this burden. Rey deserved it. _He_ deserved it.

Looking up, the young man let his eyes get lost in the landscape in front of him. It had taken him a few years to realize how beautiful and unique this island was; but after coming back back from his first summer away, Takodana had suddenly appeared like the best place on earth instead of the boring rock he’d always known.

With a new sigh crossing his lips, Ben left the roof he’d been sitting on for the last hour and planted his feet on the ground; after so much time dangling in the void, his legs felt as soft as the clouds he’d been observing with amusement. Playing with other kids had never been part of his childhood; helping his mother around the hotel and observing clouds were the main things he remembered from his young days, along with reading every book Leia’s library contained. Lucky for him, Rey’s arrival had significantly improved his social life:  despite still not being the most popular kid around, he now had a small circle of friends he knew he could count on and spend time with. It was crazy how Rey had improved his life is so many ways is such a short time.

Guilt tightened into a knot around his stomach once again as he remembered he hadn’t told anyone about this plan. Walking down the village to the beach, Ben plunged both his hands in the pockets of his shorts and focused on his steps. Some would feel betrayed not having been entrusted with the secret, some wouldn’t understand and some would probably laugh. Truth be told, he could endure all these reactions -some more than others, but none of them were unbearable. It wasn’t as if he’d never had to face anything alone.

As he progressed between the typical white houses, his pace became more tranquil and contained than before; greeting fewer and fewer people on his way, he soon realized he’d left the village just in time to see the sun setting down on the endless ocean before him. Even after almost thirty years, every sunset was still a magical show of its own that he wouldn’t miss for anything in the world. Smiling at the thought of his fiancée watching it from her window a few miles away, Ben stopped for a moment and sat down next to the old olive tree proudly standing on the cliff he’d just reached.

According to his mother’s old diary, this sight was what had convinced her to stay here. The young Leia he’d met a week ago through the pages of a simple notebook sounded way more careless than the woman that had raised him for the past years, but they both had the same passionate eyes when it came to the nature surrounding them. Even after all she’d been through, the woman he knew never ceased to be amazed by the landscape every time she managed to get a foot out of her hotel.

Once the sun disappeared behind the distant line where sky and sea met, leaving only a trail of red and pink behind him, Ben got back on his feet and resumed to his initial path. It only took him a few minutes to reach the old small boat patiently waiting for him on the beach, and twenty more to reach the continent. Apprehensively, he settled a foot on the deck and approached the yellow box contrasting with the surrounding darkness.

“See you in a week,” he whispered as his trembling hands released the white envelopes into the slit of the letter box.

His heart almost missed a beat when he heard the unmistakable muffled noise meaning the papers had found their way to the growing pile waiting for the mail man to pick them in the morning; even if he wanted to, now he couldn't get them back.

The knot that hung unto his stomach the whole way back to Takodana had nothing to do with the small lump of stress he’d previously felt in his throat every time he thought about executing his plan. Instead of slowly vanishing as it usually did, the knot tightened more and more as he took the stairs leading to the hotel he’d grown up in.

Now the only person awake in the village, he took great care not to make too much noise as he sneaked onto the second floor, his shoes in one hand while the other felt around to find his room's door. Even though this area wasn't usually occupied by customers, stumbling on a stranger in the middle of the night wouldn't be a good publicity for his mother. After a few seconds of blind investigation, his fingers closed on the familiar round doorknob and he turned it slowly before slipping into his room with an agility he never would’ve believed he possessed.

A small smile, brighter than the previous ones, appeared on his face as he heard a soft snore emanating from his bed. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room, Ben carefully put his bag and shoes on the floor before approaching the sleeping figure on his tiptoes. Doing his best not to wake her up, he first placed a hand on the mattress before allowing his whole body to follow suit, oblivious to the clothes he hadn’t taken off.

Hesitantly, he let his fingers trail off Rey’s shoulder to her waist, the rest of her body hidden by a light blanket. Slightly awakened by the contact, she grumbled something and turned to face him, her eyes still closed but a smile on her face as she sunk her head under his.

Still not used to how every small movement from her sent a shiver down his spine, Ben felt his smile grow wider as he wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes as well. After a few minutes of focusing on mirroring her tranquil breathing with his, the knot around his stomach loosened then disappeared, leaving him with nothing more than the calmness her presence always provided him.

In two weeks, he would marry the love of his life.

And in just a few days, he would meet his dad.


	2. Honey Honey

 

 

“Why don’t you stay a little longer?”

A smile made its way onto Rey’s lips as she turned on her heels to face the young man, surprised yet satisfied by his attempt to get her to extend her stay.

“The boat is about to go-”

“Just one more day,” he insisted. “Please.”

A nervous spasm shook every muscle of her face and her smile widened as her eyes lingered on the shaking hand extended to her. Taking her time to meet the dark eyes silently begging her, she let out a sigh before shrugging in surrender.

“You better drive me back tomorrow!” She warned, failing to sound the least bit bothered as she placed her hand in his, ignoring her cheeks blushing at the contact.

She’d already been there for way too long; two weeks had gradually become a month and, before she could realize, she’d been spending the whole summer on the small island she now knew like the back of her hand. But truth be told, the project she’d come to work on had quickly been delayed then forgotten, in favor of the young man now staring at her with a radiant smile.

Spending time in the hotel had first been part of her contract: Rey had agreed to help Mrs. Organa fix a few things and improve her visibility on the internet in exchange for a free room. Of course, she could’ve extended her stay at Old Kenobi’s- but his hotel was situated in such a deserted part of the island this new one felt like the perfect arrangement. Slowly but surely, the mornings became afternoons during which she kept sympathizing with the other workers, Finn and Poe, who kindly introduced her to the other islanders until she truly became part of their group of friends. Of course, having some people to share a day or a drink with had been more than welcome. But the nights and long talks- these, she saved for someone else.

It hadn’t taken more than two days for Rey to notice the shy, mysterious man disappearing every time she climbed down the stairs leading to the common room where clients and staff shared their breakfast. ‘ _I wouldn’t even try, if I were you’_ Poe had warned her with an amused smile on her third day, catching herself staring at the broad figure vanishing behind the reception’s curtains. Obviously, such words had only increased her curiosity, satisfied the day Mrs. Organa- who had quickly insisted she called her Leia- had suggested Rey ask her son for a diving lesson.

Convincing him had been one of the hardest things she’d had to do since her arrival on Takodana, but lucky for her, she could be both patient and persuasive.

“Ben?” She’d hesitantly asked one day as he, once again, trotted to the reception’s counter before she’d even stepped into the room.

The look he’d gave her then was one of those she knew she would never forget: judging by the surprise shadowing his frown, he wasn’t used to people talking to him.

“Your mother said you would show me the beach. And the boat.”

“She said that?”

For a first meeting, she’d already lied twice- but the sound of his voice had comforted her in the idea that it was worth the try.

 “Not exactly- I said I’d love to go diving, and she mentioned you could… you know, show me.”

To her surprise- but not to Finn and Poe’s- she’d been met with an awkward silence, broken by a mumbled excuse before he disappeared, leaving her with nothing but surprise and a feeling that maybe she’s said something wrong. _‘He’s just weird,’_ Finn had stated simply the very same evening at the hotel’s bar in an attempt to reassure her. Such impolite behavior would usually have been enough for her to blacklist him and forget about him, but she tried again the next day, and the one after, until her request slowly became a running joke between them.

“You’re not going diving today, by any chance?” She’d casually asked one morning, not even bothering to wait for him to reply as she jumped the last step.

“I am, actually.”

Caught off guard by the answer she wasn’t expecting anymore, Rey had forgotten to stop walking and felt her head hit the doorway just when she turned around, her face distorted between a smile and a grimace.

This first lesson hadn’t been the disaster she’d been anticipating; indeed, she was rather good and at ease in the water. Her concentration, on the other hand, had been rather hard to keep from the moment Ben had taken his shirt off. Luckily for her, the ocean surrounding the island had many wonders to keep her mind busy, so long as they were underwater- on land however…

Gradually, their lessons had turned into afternoons spent together on Ben’s small boat. Tubas and masks were left aside, replaced by picnics and books until nothing was needed aside from their words as they’d built a strong friendship based on trust and confessions.

“You mom will hate me,” Rey chuckled as she settled on the passenger’s seat of the old car Ben had drove her to the port with.

“She won’t,” he assured with a shake of his head. “If she could have you here forever, she would.”

Another chuckle escaped her, both caused by nervousness and sadness. “She knows how to use the website, now. I’m sure she’ll be fine without me!”

A warm, yet distant smile masking his face, Ben shrugged, keeping his eyes on the tortuous road. None of them daring to look at the other, they both remained silent for the rest of the ride, a surprised gasp escaping them from time to time when the car’s wheels met a boulder that shook the entire vehicle.

“I’ll miss you,” Rey heard behind her as her hand grabbed the doorknob of her room a few hours later.

The big goodbye party having already been launched the day before, she’d settled for a calm night in company of her closest friends. Saying goodbye to Finn and Poe for a second time strangely appeared easier than the day before, both of them laughing at her relucatance to leave them and teasing Ben once she’d told them the reason behind her once-again-extended stay. In less than a month, the two boys had changed their mind about him, going as far as inviting him everywhere and calling him ‘buddy’ which, despite his constant denial, never failed to leave a smile on his face.

“I’ll miss you too,” she murmured with a faltering voice.

Gritting her teeth as she felt her heart falling deep down inside her chest, she took a deep breath and put on a useless smile as she turned around to face him.

“Thanks for convincing me to-”

Before she even got the chance to finish her sentence, Rey felt her back hit the door and, within seconds, Ben was kissing her. Or maybe _she_ was kissing _him_ ; all she knew was that the hands gripping her waist made her heart explode for good. Fumbling to find the doorknob, her hand met Ben’s and they burst into her room without once pulling away, guided by a common heartbeat that only quickened with each passing second.

“Stay,” he pleaded against her lips as they stumbled to her bed.

Not a single word was said that night other than this one, their jerky breathing sometimes cut by a nervous giggle every time a piece of clothing fell onto the floor. In a strange combination of tears and smiles, Rey slowly succumbed to the idea she’d tried to ignore all summer and surrendered to the comforting feeling of their bodies melting into each other.

Before she got the chance to voice her decision, she felt a light blinding her and frowned before she opened her eyes.

The room she found herself in was the exact same one she’d just left in her dream- except this one was bathed in sunlight. Stretching out as her eyes slowly acclimated to the bright light attacking her still-sleepy eyes, she took a deep breath and felt her lips curl into a small smile when her leg accidentally kicked a hip that wasn’t hers.

 _Eight days,_ she thought as she turned on her side to catch a glimpse of the sleeping man sharing her bed. _She would marry him in eight days._

If it hadn’t been for the peaceful expression on her fiancé’s face, she would probably have awakened him straight away. Lazily lying on his back, Ben seemed to feel her gaze on him and frowned the same way he always did before waking up. Biting her lips to repress a smile she knew would probably turn into a chuckle, she watched his arm instinctively stretching out towards her side of the bed and she closed the space between them, burying her face in his neck. It was only a matter of seconds before her gesture would tear him away from his sleep.

“I had a dream.” She whispered when she finally felt his arm wrap around her shoulders after a few seconds.

Smiling against his skin when she felt his hair brush her cheeks, Rey closed her eyes and waited for the usual morning kiss that soon was dropped on her forehead, accompanied by a familiar humming.

“Of the night I stayed,” she added after a pause.

As if she’d just said the magic word, Ben tilted his head just enough to meet her gaze, his surprised yet interested.

“Really?”

Nodding, Rey adjusted her position to properly see him. Her chin resting on his chest, she let one of her hands reach his cheek while the other trailed down his bare skin.

“The whole night,” she specified as she satisfyingly felt goosebumps emerging from under her touch.

Just as her hand disappeared under the sheets, Ben shifted from his position and, in the space of a second, the whole bed felt as if it had been shaken by a tornado. Apparently more awaken than what she’d thought, Ben let his lips wander on her body with an eagerness that drew a giggle out of her.

Despite the changes and habits that came with two years of common life, she would never get used to the shivers that traveled her skin every time she felt his body against hers.

“I’m glad you stayed,” Ben murmured between kisses.

Internally thanking herself for bringing the topic, Rey bit her lip as he reached the sensitive part of her collarbone. Instinctively, she let her hands caress the back of his neck where she knew it would make him react in no time at all. Smiling as she felt him cease every movement, she raised her head just enough to see him and raised an eyebrow with an inquiring look, her playful smile not once disappearing.

“You’re pretty enthusiastic for someone who just woke up.”

“I have good motivations.”

Feeling her stomach twist at the low tone of his voice, Rey shivered under him as she felt his warm breath on her cleavage. Without breaking the eye contact, she shifted her weight on her elbows and leaned on it until she was completely sitting on the mattress, her legs on either sides of Ben's waist and her mouth not close enough to his.

“Show me,” she heard herself whisper with a challenging voice.

Something in his eyes seemed to change and in less than two seconds, his lips caught hers before trailing down her shoulders and arms. Biting her lips once again, Rey closed her eyes as she felt his hair tickling her skin. His lips then brushed past her stomach and she held her breath, excitement invading her when she realized his head had now disappeared under the sheets. A gasp escaped her and her fingers tangled into the still visible raven hair as hot kisses now trailed down her thigh, dangerously approaching the area she could feel twitching with apprehension.

“Morning!” A cheerful voice greeted her as the door burst open.

“Poe!”

In the blink of an eye, Rey’s hands found their way back on the bed and she covered her almost bare breast with the little portion of blanket she managed to grab, ignoring the surprised exclamation emanating from between her legs.

“You never knock, do you?”

“You never lock,” the man replied with a shrug as he started walking to the window to take a look at the patio downstairs. “Do you know where your fiancé is?”

“I’m here,” an irritated voice grumbled under the covers.

Emerging from his improvised hideout even more disheveled than before, Ben glared at Poe who, not the least perturbed by the scene before him, raised an eyebrow at his friend.

“Did you lose something down there?” He asked with a smirk, turning away from the window as he crossed his arms against his chest.

“The key, apparently.” Ben mumbled just loud enough for Poe to hear him before turning to Rey. “We need a key.”

“We do need a key,” she agreed with an amused nod.

“Anyway,” Poe continued, ignorant of the fact that they weren’t about to move from their initial position, “Someone called asking for you. A certain Hugs.”

Ignoring the giggle escaping his fiancée, Ben turned to Poe with a frown. “You mean Hux?”

“Yeah, Armageddon or something like that.” He shrugged.

“Armitage.”

Another chuckle escaped Rey and she drew closer to him, dropping a peck on his cheek. “Let’s go see him, then.”

All trace of irritation left Ben’s face as he turned to her, surprised yet obviously touched by her words.

“Really?”

It wasn’t the first time he seemed surprised to hear Rey wanted to meet his friend: the first time he’d mentioned him while deciding who they wanted to invite, she’d already noticed his apprehension quickly replaced by relief when she’d naturally accepted the only name he’d asked to add on the list.

“Of course,” Rey assured, a hand cupping his cheek with affection.

Smiling, she felt Ben straighten up seconds before she felt her back meet the mattress again, a heavy body blocking her way out of the bed with a soft, thankful kiss she wasn’t about to break. Already wrapping her arms around his neck with a giggle, she almost forgot their friend was still in the room, rolling his eyes with a fake disgusted smile.

“I’m going with you, the dog needs a walk.” Poe stated casually while walking to the door.

Ignoring his presence, Rey deepened the kiss with a small smile as she felt Ben’s hands making their way back on her waist, keeping her still despite the silent giggles shaking her body under him.

“Don’t be too long!” Poe shouted from the corridor, drawing a sigh out of Ben as he pulled away with reluctance.

“I hate him.”

“No you don’t,” Rey replied with a smile as she dropped one last kiss on the top of his nose before leaving the bed to disappear behind the bathroom’s door in which she jumped into her dress from the day before, now curious to meet this mysterious friend.

“Everything alright? Poe said you lost something,” Leia asked with a warm smile as they both stepped into the reception, fully dressed and doing their best to tame their tangled hair betraying the cause of their lateness.

“It’s nothing.” Ben assured, absent-mindedly dropping a kiss on his mother’s forehead while glaring at the man waving at them from the main door, a playful grin on his face.

“Your friend called, he’s waiting for you at the port-- Rey, dear!”

Smiling at the warm hug her soon-to-be mother in law greeted her with every morning, Rey allowed her arms to leave her hair she was struggling to turn into a braid and embraced her. Hadn’t it been for Ben, she knew she would still have kept contact with Leia: both of them had studied History of Art, and could spend hours talking about random painters or sculptors, to the point that even Ben was thinking about asking for a curfew so he could spend some evenings with her.

“You dress just arrived!” the petite woman exclaimed as soon as they parted, already running behind her counter to reveal a dramatically-beribboned white package. “Come on, let’s try it on!”

Not quite sure about that sudden change of plan, Rey glanced at Ben who silently excused her with a nod, displaying a reassuring smile. “You’ll meet him later, go try your dress.”

Not without a discreet sigh, she allowed his kiss to ease the disappointment of their unexpected separation and followed Leia to the second floor, the precious package under her arm, wondering how many dresses were inside for it to be so heavy.

 

\- - - 

 

“Bloody hell, I thought I was on the wrong island!”

Chuckling at his old friend’s tendency to exaggerate, Ben took the last steps separating them and briefly shook his hand, a curious frown creasing his brow as he glanced at the two suitcases behind the man. Judging by his formal outfit consisting of a grey suit that was more than probably the reason behind his reddish face, it was very likely Armitage had brought many, many other blazers and dress shoes. Just as he was opening his mouth to remind him of the local weather, a piercing meowing echoed from the box the red-haired man had been carrying in his other hand, soon followed by Poe’s dog joyous barks and his owner’s laughter.

“I guess this is…”

“Milicent,” the young man confirmed in a breath while holding the shaking box close to his chest, his eyes warily fixed on the golden Labrador running around him with curiosity, tongue out and wagging tail.

“Sorry!” Poe intervened just as the dog jumped and landed his paws on the newcomer’s stomach, dragging another wail out of both the hidden cat and its protector. “Sorry, he’s just very friendly.”

“Aren’t you supposed to keep those on a leash?” Armitage spat out, holding the box above his head.

Breathless, Poe looked up from the ground where he’d just kneeled, rubbing the dog’s belly as to distract him from the other animal just a few meters away from him. “Not when they’re harmless.”

“Harmless…” Armitage repeated with disbelief and a sidelong glance before turning back to Ben. “Anyway,” he added after a dramatic sigh, “What about this secret you couldn’t tell me on the phone?”

As if struck by an electroshock, Ben felt his eyes widen and gulped when he caught sight of Poe’s eyes widening as well, a grin growing on his lips as he got up and lifted his chin with an amused look in his eyes.

“Maybe later,” Ben grumbled as he made a slight movement to take one of the suitcases, ignoring his friend’s frown.

“What, you don’t trust me?” Poe teased, crossing his arms.

Repressing the answer that almost crossed his mouth, Ben bit his lips and turned back to him, carefully choosing his words as his mother’s assistant tilted his head, more curious than ever.

“I just don’t want to put you in an awkward situation,” he finally articulated.

“As long as you didn’t cheat on Rey-”

“Of course not.” Ben cut sharply, starting to feel irritated by the unplanned turn of this conversation. “But you can’t tell her anything.”

A silence settled between the three of them, only broken by Ben’s sigh preceding the muffled sound of his hand rummaging through his bag. After a few seconds, he finally brandished the pink diary he’d been carrying with him for way too long now, observing the two men’s intrigued looks.

“I found my mother’s diary.”

The same dumbfounded expression crossed their faces. Encouraged by their silence, Ben cleared his throat and opened the notebook to the page he’d read over and over, its corners damaged by the numerous times he’d folded it.

“ _July 7 th 1979\. I did it, I’m on the plane. I just left Paris where I was hoping to find Luke, but I only got to meet his roommate. It wasn’t actually such a bad encounter. Lando was nice enough to take me to the best restaurant of the city –at least according to him. I wanted to go back to the hotel but Lando told me he’d never had a girlfriend before. I didn’t really believe him, but he’s fun. He made me laugh, one thing led to another and… dot dot dot._”

“Dot dot dot?” Armitage asked, slightly less flustered.

“ _Dot dot dot_ ,” Poe repeated with a meaningful tone. “That’s what they did in the olden days!”

Unamused by the innuendo, Armitage rolled his eyes and lingered his eyes on Ben, careful not to glance at the chuckling islander.

“So this guy- Lando. You think he’s your father?”

“ _July 20 th_,” Ben continued as a response as he turned a few pages. “ _Han finally showed me the rest of the island. We danced on the beach, we kissed on the beach and- dot dot dot.”_

“Leia sure had a great time!” Poe commented with a radiant smile as he sat on the floor, his legs crossed as a kid listening to a story.

“Don’t talk about Mrs. Organa like that!” Armitage retorted with a look of disgust.

“ _Han is the one_ ,” Ben continued, “ _I know he is. I’ve never felt like this before_.”

The sound of a new page being turned stopped him in his reading, leaving the two men in suspense until he started again, his brows creased as he remembered which part of the story they were reaching.

“ _All this time, Han’s been telling me he loves me, and now he’s announced that he’s engaged, so he’s gone home to get married and I’m never gonna see him again_.”

“Bugger,” Armitage murmured, oblivious to Poe’s amused gaze on him. Joining Ben’s side with a hand on his waist and a frown of concern, he looked over his shoulder in hopes to catch a glimpse of young Leia’s confessions.

“ _August 4 th: What a night.”_ Pausing to allow himself a small embarrassed yet amused smile, Ben glanced at his two friends now listening carefully. “ _Cassian turned up out of the blue. He rented a motorboat and took me diving. Even though I’m still obsessed with Han, Cassian’s so warm, he’s such a funny guy. One thing led to another, and…_ ”

 “Dot dot dot!” Poe exclaimed, making both Ben and Armitage jump with surprise at the realization he’d joined Ben’s other side.

“I don’t get it,” Armitage confessed, his face even redder than a few minutes ago.

“I was born in April,” Ben hasted to explain, silencing Poe who was now staring at his friend as if he was from another planet.

Truth be told, he did look as if that was the case: his skin as pale as the sand behind him and his formal attire made him quite discordant with their surroundings.

“That’s it?” The red-haired man inquired.

Shaking his head, Ben looked back to the notebook between his hands and shrugged. “There’s also a few lines, but it doesn’t really make any sense-”

“Show me?”

Before he could begin to quote the words scribbled in the margin, Poe took the notebook away from his hands and gasped, his eyes widened with excitation.

“That’s a song! She’s always singing it when she thinks she’s alone.”

“A song?” Repeated Ben, suspicious.

“ _Honey honey how you thrill me!_ ” Poe started to sing with crooked smile, stumbling upon his words as he tried to recall the melody.

“God, please stop,” murmured Armitage with a roll of his eyes.

Unable to stop the islander from his improvised theatrical singing, they both sighed and crossed their arms, waiting for him to finish.

“ _And honey to say the least_ ,” Poe continued, apparently more amused than the two other, “ _You’re a dog-gone_ \- beast?!”

Chuckling at the man’s surprise upon his mother’s words, Ben walked to him and grabbed the notebook from his hands.

“So, which one did you invite?” Armitage asked with all the composure he was currently capable of. “Lando, Han or Cassian?”

An awkward silence fell around them, during which both turned to Ben with wide eyes as they began to understand what exactly his secret consisted of.

“Don’t tell me you-”

“I think he did,” Poe whispered before closing his eyes, all trace of frivolity slowly leaving his face. “You invited them all, didn’t you?”

Creasing his mouth with a guilty expression, Ben let his eyes linger on him and shrugged, a chuckled where embarrassment and excitement met leaving his chest. “I may have.”

 

\- - -

 

Thirty years ago, in the streets of Paris, a hesitant hand knocked on the door she’d been looking for the whole morning. Doing her best to ignore the loud beats of her heart drumming against her chest, Leia looked at the address scribbled on the back of the last letter Luke had sent her for what seemed to be the hundredth time. Just as she considered knocking again, a distant voice echoed from behind the door.

“Coming!”

It wasn’t Luke’s voice, she noticed as the door opened on a face that certainly wasn’t the one of her twin brother. Unable to hide her disappointment, Leia let out a sigh and risked a glance behind the young man’s shoulder, frowning.

“Is Luke here?”

Mentally cursing herself for the hesitation she heard in her own voice, she felt her face crumple and her hand let go of the suitcase she’d been carrying for hours as she saw her question being answered with a sad shake of the head.

Of course he wasn’t here. He never was there when she needed him.

Regretting her choice to rely on her legs rather than taxis, she took a deep breath and glanced at her heavy luggage, now realizing she had a whole day and a night to fill before her next flight to Greece. Hopefully, the airport would have comfortable chairs. Just as she started to turn back to the small staircase she’d just climbed, the stranger took a step out of his apartment and spoke again.

“Wait- why don’t you come in?”

Instead of spilling the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks, Leia felt her lips curl into a grateful smile as she nodded, making her way through the door as who she supposed was her brother’s roommate moved aside to let her in.

                                       

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I wouldn't make them sing, but I couldn't help myself with this scene! Since some of you asked: yes, this story will use both movies! Some things will change a bit to fit the Star Wars universe and so the characters stay true to themselves.  
> Thanks for your comments and kudos ♥ I hope you liked this chapter!


	3. The Visitors

 

 

 

“And may I present to you, our biggest achievement that you’ve already seen on postcards and in the thirteen souvenir shops we just passed!”

“You say our as if you were living here,” Leia pointed out with a soft chuckle as Lando kept smiling proudly, his arms outstretched in front of the massive monument behind him.

“Well, I technically am, for now.” After what she thought was a wink, the young man beckoned her to follow him and walked past the waiting line with long strides she barely managed to catch up to.

It seemed like they’d been walking around Paris for hours, despite her watch stating that they’d only left the apartment forty minutes ago. After a brief conversation mainly consisting of Lando explaining that Luke had actually gone back to his family for a few days, he’d managed to convince Leia to leave her suitcase there and let him show her the city –or at least what he would be able to show her in a day- before her flight the day after.

Even thought they’d only met a few hours ago, Leia found herself rather surprised by the lack of awkwardness between them. It appeared Lando was one of these people who could easily fool you into making you feel as if you'd known them for years. Warm smile, relaxed voice, great sense of humor –before she could realize it, Lando had won over her heart and made her wish Amilyn and Jyn were there to share this new friendship with her.

“So, what brought you here?” she asked curiously as they lazily walked around the Luxembourg Gardens among the other tourists and students.

If anything had caught her attention since they’d started their day of visits, it was the way people looked straight from a magazine, besides the few teenagers and children wearing colorful outfits that seemed to match the blossoming flowers scattered around the main fountain, every single adult that crossed their path seemed wrapped in the same thick yet boring black costume, all wearing the same expression of tiredness and preoccupation while walking with haste to whatever building they were working in.

“Final year internship,” Lando exclaimed, his tone rather realistic. “It was either here or in my uncle’s bank in London.”

“I lived in London,” Leia commented with a smile as she stuck her hands in the pockets of the dress she was wearing.

Speaking about it in the past tense seemed weird, especially since she’d left less than a day ago, but something about it also made her stomach twist with excitement. She was only a day away from her final destination.

“And now?” Lando asked, pulling her away from her daydream as she turned back to him, a casual smile on her lips.

“I’m heading to Greece.”

Raising both eyebrows with surprise, Lando let out a chuckle but remained silent, beckoning her to keep going. Slightly hesitant, she bit the inside of her cheeks and cautiously opened her mouth, searching for the best words to explain her crazy project to a complete stranger.

“There’s this island- Takodana,” she explained with a crooked grin. “It’s said to be one of the most beautiful. I couldn’t explain it but… I feel like I have to go there.”

A heavy silence followed her words. Suddenly realizing she’d overshared, Leia felt a shiver run down her spine and shrugged, a nervous giggle escaping her. “I know, it’s stupid.”

“I think it’s very brave.”

Surprised by his reaction, she risked a glance in his direction: the cheerful grin had left his face, making way to a curious expression narrowing his eyes to such an extent that she felt herself frowning in response. Before she could ask what he meant or assure him that she was anything but brave, the young man momentarily stopped their conversation to turn his head on a passerby. Following his gaze, Leia felt her mouth slightly open as she noticed a young man, probably less than thirty years old, walking away from them in a rather colorful outfit.

“People sure have an interesting sense of fashion, here,” she commented with a smirk.

“Indeed.” Finally taking his eyes off the young man, Lando shook his head with disbelief and sighed before wrapping an arm around Leia’s shoulders, dragging a chuckle out of her. “And don’t get me started on their French kiss.”

The afternoon passed at an incredible speed and, before Leia knew it, their day of sightseeing had come to an end. Led by their hunger, she followed Lando into the restaurant he'd suggested and sank into the cushioned red chair ridiculously matching the tablecloth. After hours walking in Montmartre and shuffling along the endless corridors of the Louvres, she felt like they'd just crammed an entire week into a single day. Ignoring her aching feet under the table, she grabbed the leathered menu on which was engraved ‘ _The Waterloo’_ in golden letters and scoffed as her eyes wandered along the course options.

“Croque-monsieur?” She read aloud, causing a few customers to turn to her with a defiant look on their faces.

“Oh right, you just left England,” Lando snickered as he lowered his own menu. “So, how do I put it…”

Dramatically letting out a sigh, he leaned on the table and beckoned her to do the same until her ear was close enough to his mouth. “People actually have real food, here.”

Torn between indignation and laughter, Leia briefly hit the back of his hand and straightened up in her chair, rolling her eyes with a smile. “We do have real food too, thank you very much!”

“Yeah, like jelly?”

“Jelly doesn’t count,” she retorted, “Everyone knows that thing is awful.”

“Pork pie?” He continued, not about to surrender.

“That’s not even-”

“Fish and chips?”

“Come on, you’re not even trying.” Rolling her eyes once again before letting them linger back on the menu, she winced with disgust and turned the menu to Lando. “Veal liver?!”

Visibly amused by her expression, the student moved the finger she’d placed under the curious meal back to the first option she’d enounced. “The best things I’ve ever eaten in England were French fries, and it’s all in the name.”

“You know these were invented in Belgium?” Leia retorted with a knowing smirk.

“Still better than porridge,” he whispered before turning to the waiter who’ come back with a notebook and a pen, ready to take their order.

“Don’t deny your origins, traitor,” she whispered back before turning to the waiter with a polite smile and pointing at the line her finger was still on, not brave enough to try and use the few words of French she’d learned years ago.

“I don’t see what you mean,” Lando shrugged with a very bad French accent.

Luckily, her croque-monsieur appeared to be just as delicious as Lando had promised; a fact that, of course, she kept for herself. Even though she’d drunk alcohol before, she had to admit that the bottle of wine Lando had insisted upon was one of the best she’d ever tasted. After a solid hour of giggling and leaning on the table to hear each other, they finally left the restaurant and walked back to the building they’d left a few hours ago, their stomachs full and faces reddened by the bottle they’d emptied in the blink of an eye.

“There’s one last thing you need to see,” Lando articulated once they reached his door.

Not giving her enough time to ask what he was talking about, he grabbed her and dragged her through a staircase she hadn’t noticed. After a few second of giggling and stumbling up the stairs, their feet landed on a hard surface while the rest of their bodies, caressed by a quiet breeze, burst onto on what seemed to be the roof. Slightly dizzy by the few drinks she'd had, it took Leia a few seconds to realize why Lando had brought her here.

A thousand lights messily scattered around the city’s outline stared back at her from the darkness of the night. The moon almost seemed to pale in comparison. Stunned by the sight before her eyes, Leia didn’t realize Lando had wrapped his arm around her shoulders once again.

“It’s wonderful,” she managed to murmur after a few seconds of silence.

“Yeah,” Lando agreed nonchalantly, pulling her closer to him.

Becoming aware of his change of behavior, Leia arched an eyebrow as she felt his hand go down her back and turned to him with a frown.

“You know,” he added just as she started to pull away, “there’s another thing you need to do before you leave.”

“Which is?” She heard her voice lose the relaxed tone of the day, giving way to a suspicious one.

“French kiss.”

A frank, disbelieving laugh left her as soon as the words crossed his lips. Unable not to stop herself, she took a step away from his embrace as her whole body kept shaking under her nervous giggles, his smile fading with each passing second.

“As friends!” Lando specified, his hands rose almost as a plea for her to stop laughing.

Catching her breath, she managed to calm down the laughter that soon turned to a nervous smile as she allowed her eyes to finally linger on him again. “I don’t do… _that_ , with friends.”

“But you always spend your days with complete strangers?”

 _Touché_.

“Just… be a good friend,” she stated as she removed his arm from around her shoulder, “And stay a friend.”

“That’s basically what I was trying to do,” Lando chuckled as he let her push him away.

“Anyway, I thought you liked men?” Leia mumbled as she crossed her arms against her chest.

 A playful smile on his lips, the young man shrugged. “I like everyone.”

Despite his need to keep bantering with her, he didn’t let his hands wander further than what she allowed him as they kept watching the city lights, oblivious to the lateness of the hour. When finally one of them started to yawn, they both agreed to go back to the apartment and get a good night sleep before the big day; even though her flight wasn’t until 3pm, Leia still wanted to get there at least two hours ahead in case her lucky star suddenly decide to let her down.

“It’s a shame, you know,” Lando observed as she started rummaging through the depths of her suitcase in search of her pajamas, the rest of her bags scattered around her on the sofa he’d let her use for the night. “You would’ve been my first woman.”

Ceasing all movement, Leia looked up to meet his gaze, a sock in hand. After a brief nod in response to her surprise look, he waved at her and turned on his heels; heading to the other end of the corridor where she’d noticed a door probably leading to his room.

 _She hadn’t even wondered about where Luke’s room was_ , she realized as she dropped the sock on the sofa. In fact, she hadn’t even thought about Luke, too busy enjoying her visits and laughing along with Lando at whatever surprising or odd thing he’d discovered since he’d arrived here. She’d only known him for a day, yet she’d almost felt as good as when she was home with her friends, not even bothering about trying to sound interesting or strong.

Lando wasn’t a potential lover; sure, he was a nice young man –a charming one at that- but not once in the day had the idea of kissing him crossed her mind. Yet, considering the new philosophy she was trying to adopt, she didn’t have anything to lose: she wasn’t in love with him, and certainly didn’t want Lando to be the father of her children.

It was only a kiss, after all.

“I guess I could… settle for a small goodbye kiss,” she tentatively announced.

The sound of his steps stopped at the corner of the corridor and soon echoed again, increasing until his head popped back from behind the wall with a smirk and wiggling eyebrows that pulled a giggle out of Leia.

“No one can resist the French kiss,” Lando stated proudly as he joined her on the sofa.

Not moving once as he carefully cupped her cheeks with his hands, Leia bit her lips both as to not giggle and in anticipation. When his face finally started to come closer, she closed her eyes and held her breath, patiently waiting for his lips to touch hers.

It wasn’t the best kiss she’d received, but it was far from being the worst. As uncertain as she was, Leia quickly parted her lips to allow his tongue to enter the dance. The first few seconds appeared to be as messy as she’d expected: insisting on leading the kiss, she’d almost bitten her lips and his in less than two seconds before finally letting him lead. Gently but firmly, Lando slowed down the hasty pace she’d settled on, his hands lazily caressing her cheeks.

_Now, she understood how this was supposed to feel good._

Of course,  the ‘small goodbye kiss’ was soon followed by many others as she finally gave in and let Lando guide her to his room, suddenly curious about the other things he’d learned here and could show her.

It was only a night, after all.

 

\- - - 

 

A wince crossed Rey’s face as an umpteenth pin grazed the bare skin of her back. Biting her lips, she closed her eyes and held her breath as Finn kept working on the dress while she stood still in the middle of his room just as she’d done the day before.

“Sorry,” Finn mumbled as she almost jumped once again.

Reminding herself of their friendship and gathering all that was left of her patience not to punch him, Rey slightly turned her head to see the young man. Pins in mouth and frowning at the hard work that his customizations appeared to be, he almost looked like a professional dressmaker –with the exception that his clumsy attempts to add lace to the back of her dress would soon cost her a fair amount of skin.

“I’m gonna need more lace,” he murmured pensively after taking a step back to get an overall view.

“Really?”

Unable to repress a sigh, Rey turned on herself and twisted her head as to get a glimpse at the mirror reflecting the frustrating truth: hidden under the few scraps of lace Finn had managed to sew between the still open sides of the dress, her bare skin poked out of a solid gap of at least eight inches.

“But it fit perfectly back in the shop,” she sighed as Finn grabbed another piece of fabric from the box he’d taken from under his bed.

If it had only been up to her, she would’ve gotten married in shorts and flip flops; but something in Leia’s enthusiasm at the idea of accompanying her to the mainland and assist her in the choice of her dress had dissuaded her to mention it. Running around shops and trying on different dresses for a whole afternoon was far from being the kind of enjoyment she lent herself to, but she had to admit it had been worth it. Even for someone who wasn’t fond of dresses, this one was wonderful: a simple, long white dress made of silk that managed to engulf her bust without revealing an ounce of skin of her cleavage, discreetly brightened up with cream-colored embroideries running along her sides.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t listen to me when I said no more moussaka,” Finn shrugged as he pricked her back once again. “Sorry.”

Giggling at the memory of her friend warning her about pre-wedding diets, she shook her head and crossed her arms as she searched for his eyes in in the mirror. “Someone still bitter about yesterday’s tzatziki?”

Visibly trying not to crack up at the mention of the night before, Finn met her gaze and bit his lips before pretending to focus on his work, beckoning her to stop moving.

“Speaking about yesterday… what do you think about that Armitage guy?”

It was now Rey’s turn to bite her lips and repress a giggle as she remembered their evening. Convinced by Poe, she’d invited him to join them for a drink at the hotel’s bar, curious to know more about her fiancé’s friend. Of course, she shouldn’t have believed Poe when he’d described Armitage as a cheerful and pleasant man; but she felt a little pity for him as she watched Poe strengthening his drinks behind his back as the poor man seemed to gather all his strength to not faint in his black and white costume, his face as red as his cocktails.

“He’s…. interesting,” Rey commented, cautiously weighing her words.

 _Interesting_ wasn’t exactly the word she would’ve used to describe someone who brought his cat with him on a trip, or who insisted on keeping his full suit on despite the warm weather of the island.

“Yeah,” Finn agreed casually, “and Millicent is…”

Incapable of staying serious for much longer, they both burst out laughing as soon as they caught each other’s eyes in the mirror, tears rolling down their cheeks.

“Who on earth names their cat _Millicent_?!” Rey articulated under her breath as Finn grabbed the edge of his bed, his other hand firmly place on his heart in a futile attempt to calm down.

If there was something she’d learned after two years of living here, it was that Finn was excellent in three things: cooking, sewing and keeping secrets. Not feeling the least bit guilty about the critique that had escaped her, she shook her head with disbelief before nonchalantly wiping a tear from her eyes, her ribcage still aching from the uncontrollable laughter shaking her body.

“Come on, stop moving,” Finn managed to order between a few last giggles as he made his way back behind her, replacing the few pins that’d escape him in the corner of his mouth.

Just as he finished sewing the last piece of lace supposed to hide the damages, a few hesitant knocks made them both jump then smile, amused by the thought of Leia who, pushed by her curiosity, had already visited them twice that morning.

“Come in!” Finn chanted joyously.

“Hey,” a voice that definitely wasn’t Leia’s echoed in the room. “I was just-”

A gasp crossed Finn’s lips and he jumped in front of Rey, his arms outstretched in an attempt to hide his work.

“Close your eyes!” They both screamed in unison at the black mane slowly emerging from behind the door.

“I just-”

“Close them!” Finn screamed again, furiously pointing at the groom-to-be.

“Gosh, this is ridiculous,” Ben groaned as he made his way to them, rolling his eyes.

Before he could manage to reach her, Rey glued her hands to his face, her dress still protected by Finn’s protective embrace. After a few seconds during which she struggled to keep Ben’s hands from moving hers, a sigh escaped him and he surrendered, arms crossed against his chest while Finn flopped down on his bed, smirking at the young couple’s fight.

“Some of my mom’s guests have arrived, I’m gonna meet them at the port.” He mumbled, his hot breath tickling the hands still pressed against his eyes.

“Great,” Rey agreed with a giggle. “Say hi for me.”

“How’s the dress doing?”

“Perfectly fine,” she hastened to reply, barely pre-empting Finn’s blunder as he sheepishly closed his mouth.

Ignoring her friend’s inquiring gaze, she took a step to the door, dragging Ben with her.

“Can I get a glimpse?” He asked, a smirk appearing on his lips as he walked backwards.

“No.”

“Can I touch it?”

Mirroring his smile, Rey rolled her eyes as she gently pushed him out of the room. “Keep it for the wedding’s night.”

Not giving him the chance to beg once more, she planted a kiss on his lips and moved her hands away from his face before quickly closing the door.

“You two are disgusting,” Finn declared with a smile as he joined Rey back in front of the mirror to help her get out of the dress.

 

 - - - 

 

Shaking his head with amusement, Ben climbed down the stairs leading to the hotel’s reception where he found his mother highly focused on a stack of papers, her glasses threatening to fall from her nose.

“I’m going to the port,” he announced while leaning above the counter separating them. “To pick up Aunt Amilyn and Aunt Jyn.”

Looking up from whatever bill she’d been struggling with, Leia seemed to soften at the mention of her friends and gave him a knowing smile before going back to her counts. “Beware Amilyn’s suitcase,” she murmured with a mischievous voice.

Smiling at the memory of the woman dragging a suitcase that was almost as tall as her a few years ago, Ben nodded and dropped a kiss on his mother’s forehead before heading to the main door. Now that he was thinking about it, he hadn’t seen the two women since his twentieth birthday –an embarrassing surprise party his mother had insisted to organize even though he hated that kind of celebration. Despite what he’d expected it to be, the evening had appeared to be a rather enjoyable one: all as drunk as teenagers, the old friends had ended up dancing on the tables, improvising a private concert consisting of the songs they used to sing in their youth. Of course, Amilyn hadn’t been long to disappear with one of the islanders, staying true to the reputation his mother had built for her.

Seeing them again would sure be as awkward as amusing, Ben realized as he crossed the patio. Jyn and Finn would probably spend the incoming days together in the kitchen, making sure the cake would be as perfect as Leia wanted it to be. If it had only been up to him, Ben would’ve had a picnic instead of the gigantic feast his mother had planned for them; but he was rarely able to refuse her anything, especially where the wedding was concerned. After all she’d done for him, the least he could do was letting her enjoy the preparations –even if it meant having to endure a three-hour long dinner and wearing the suit she’d bought him months ago.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed the three men walking in the opposite direction until one of them called out to him.

“Hey kid, do you know where we can find Leia?”

Caught by surprise, Ben stopped walking and turned to the stranger with a frown, scrutinizing his outfit: judging by his crumpled shirt and the suitcase he was carrying, he was another tourist that hadn’t seen the sign pointing at the hotel bearing his mother’s name. Used to guiding them to the hotel and helping with the luggage, he nodded while casually pointing behind him.

“Sure, she’s right there. Did you book a room?”

“No, I’m here for a visit,” the man grumbled as he started rummaging through his pockets. “We all are, actually…”

As if to prove his point, his held out a familiar invitation card. Speechless as he felt his blood turn to ice, Ben blinked a few times before shifting his eyes back to the three men standing in front of him. The first –the only one who’d talked so far- looked halfway between a grumpy bear and a fallen rock star, with his brown leather jacket and the frown that didn’t seem to leave his brow.

“You wouldn’t happen to be her son, would you?” asked the second man.

Turning to him, Ben felt his heart miss a beat as he realized they’d all grabbed their invitations. Gulping at the sight of the three men staring at him with hopeful looks on their faces, he only managed to nod briefly, his hand soon engulfed by two others attached to the third man who hadn’t spoken so far.

“Lando Calrissian,” he introduced himself with a bright smile.

“Ben,” he breathed with disbelief, not taking his eyes off the man. There was no way he could be his father, but he sure understood immediately why her mother would’ve liked him. Charming smile, relaxed voice, playful eyes: the man sounded exactly like what he’d imagined of him based on the diary, if not better.

“I have an old friend named Ben,” the first man mumbled with surprise before extending his hand as well. “Han Solo, by the way.”

Ben’s heart twisted in his chest at the name, and it took him every ounce of sheer will not to shoot him a dirty look as he firmly shook his hand, remembering the last lines Leia had written about him.

“Pleased to meet you,” he mumbled in a less-than-pleased voice before turning to the only one who hadn’t introduced himself, deliberately turning away from Han to smile at the other man. “And you must be Cassian?”

“Himself,” the man confirmed with a surprised smile as he joyfully shook the hand Ben had offered him. “You look very much like your mother.”

 _You look very much like me_ , Ben thought as he gulped and nodded briefly in acknowledgment.

“How is she doing?” Han asked, his tone slightly hesitant.

Gritting his teeth, Ben turned back to him and settled for the most polite smile he was capable of.

“She’s fine. She’s great,” he assured, fighting the temptation to add an imaginary husband in the picture.

“Can we-”

Before Lando could finish his question, Ben almost jumped in front of him, preventing him from going even further.

“But she’s busy, very busy,” he babbled as his thoughts seemed to rush around in search of a way to keep them as far away from the hotel as possible. “I’ll show you the suite.”

The same satisfied smile crossed their faces at the word, and none of them objected to follow him as he led the way to the old side of the hotel, quickly thinking about a place where his mother wouldn’t go for days.

“I remember this part,” Han murmured as they walked along one of the old buildings surrounding the patio. “It was a goat house back in the day.”

“Still is,” Ben replied. Suddenly, he felt his eyes widen as it occurred to him that the solution was right in front of him and stopped in front of the old wooden door, a smile on his lips. “Except for the first floor!”

“The old goat house is the suite?” Cassian asked with a smirk. “Brilliant!”

Humming in approval, Ben beckoned them to follow him, his heart racing at an unbelievable pace as he realized what was currently happening. Not one, nor two, but all three of them had accepted Leia’s invitation - _his_ invitation- and canceled their plans to come to his wedding. And now, he had to manage this situation he hadn’t exactly anticipated, convinced that this crazy plan wouldn’t work.

“A suite, you say?” Lando asked with a chuckle as they stepped into the large attic where a few cots stocked among the chaos that was his mother’s storage.

Biting his lips as he searched for another made-up explanation, Ben turned to them, only to meet three dubious gazes fixed on him.

“It’s… under construction, but-”

“Kid, is that a joke?”

One of the three looks –Han’s- turned into a scowl and, suddenly, Ben realized he couldn’t possibly keep the lie going for very much longer. Letting out a sigh, he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, a guilty expression crossing his face as he opened his mouth. “My mother doesn’t know you’re here.”

An awkward silent fell in the room, only broken by the sound of Cassian nervously clearing his voice as he took a step towards him, a frown on his face.

“If Leia doesn’t know we’re here, how do you explain this?” he asked as he held out his invitation card for the second time.

Waiting for the right words to make their way to his lips, Ben opened his mouth and closed it twice, a knot settling around his stomach. After what felt like hours, the three pairs of eyes in front of him seemed to grow wider and the same gasp escaped the three men as a nervous smile settled on his lips.

“You sent the invitations, didn’t you?” Han asked in a murmur.

Looking away from the man he had been predisposed to dislike, Ben tilted his head and nodded briefly.

“Let’s go say hi, then!” Cassian exclaimed joyously, already turning back to the staircase.

“No!”

Alarmed by the sudden hurry in his voice, they all turned back to Ben, eyebrows raised with inquiring looks.

“She…” Knowing another lie would automatically be detected he let out another sigh and took a deep breath. “I’ll tell her, but she can’t know I was the one who invited you.”

“Are you-” Han started, shortly interrupted by Lando who placed a hand on his chest.

“Do your thing kid, we’ll wait here.”  he calmly articulated.

Maybe Lando wasn’t his father, but Ben found himself wishing he were. Feelings his heartbeats slowing down, he thanked him with a nod that the other man returned, a knowing smile on his face as they both sighed with what seemed to be relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dads are here!
> 
> A huge thank you to perperuna93 for [this moodboard](https://zupimages.net/up/18/41/kuym.png), to bunilicious for[ this one](https://zupimages.net/up/18/41/8jo0.png)
> 
>   and to Nazemova for her help with the title ❤


End file.
